NATO to shore up reaction force, Ukraine aid at summit
BRUSSELS — NATO allies will decide at a summit this week to increase the strength of their rapid reaction force nearly eightfold to 300,000 troops as part of their response to an “era of strategic competition,” the military alliance’s secretary-general said Monday.
The NATO response force, or NRF, numbers around 40,000 soldiers that can deploy quickly when needed.
Coupled with other measures, including the deployment of forces to defend specific allies, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the move is part of the “biggest overhaul of collective defense and deterrence since the Cold War.”
“These troops will exercise together with home defense forces,” Stoltenberg said. “And they will become familiar with local terrain, facilities, and our new pre-positioned stocks. So that they can respond smoothly and swiftly to any emergency.”
In response to the Kremlin’s decision to start the war, President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts agreed in February to send thousands of troops, backed by air and naval support, to protect allies near Russia and Ukraine. The 30-nation organization decided at the time to send parts of the NRF and elements of a quickly deployable spearhead unit to the alliance’s eastern flank, marking the first time the force had been used in a defense role.
Stoltenberg made the remarks at a news conference ahead of a NATO summit this week in Madrid when the 30 allies are expected to also agree on further support to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Stoltenberg said he expects allies to make clear they consider Russia “as the most significant and direct threat to our security.”
At the summit, allies will also decide to strengthen their battlegroups on NATO’s eastern flanks, he said.
In NATO’s new strategic concept, the alliance is also set to address for the first time the security challenges posed by China, Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg said allies will also agree to deliver further military support to Ukraine when they convene in Spain, with NATO members set to adopt a “strengthened comprehensive assistance package,” including deliveries of secure communication and anti-drone systems.
Over the long term, Stoltenberg said allies aim to help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era armaments to modern NATO equipment.
Another theme at the NATO summit will be the possibility for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
NATO member Turkey has blocked the applications, citing what it considers to be the two countries’ soft approach to organizations Turkey considers to be terrorist, such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
Stoltenberg said Turkish President Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and the Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson have agreed to meet Tuesday on the sidelines of the summit.